Firesprout Blizzard
by TheSpankedReview
Summary: A record of a few lost souls trying to stay on the rightious path on planet of ice and evil. (Campaign 1 Iceplanet)
1. Jolly ol' Time

Had all been quite in the Blasphemy Pub you could have heard the light summer breeze flinging snow at the windows. The Great Luck drawing had prevented any such request, thrice. The fire had been stoked extra for this night, the local wenches had on their most reveling attire. Two in particular had stood out in terms of shear beauty.

"Long flowing auburn locks that couldn't keep a married man out, along with eyes that would make the finest emerald jealous it was on the finger of another woman." had been the description of Icis throughout her stay at the pub. Naomi, though didn't attract as much attention as her elfin counterpart, Could always rely on her smooth touch and soothsayers voice, along with her velvet black hair and silvery eyes to boot, had always succeeded in attracting the attentions of the best in the crowd, even if they despised humans. Each with a black wolf bodice and cheap but rare knit skirts the flaunted about at their every movement.

Icis had won. Though most had forgotten what it was they where judging it was all agreed that anybody who could bend like that had no competition whatsoever. Part of the winnings of golds and silvers was a mysterious map. Icis without the thought of counting her money, grabs the map and her closest friend Naomi and explains their new mission.

"Get yourself a man we are leaving in the morning. I finally found us a way out of here!"

Upon seeing that Icis had a map, Naomi new just what she meant this time as a "man". A young elf, who seemed to have spawned from fire was delicately balancing an axe on the tips of his fingers. Naomi's keen eyes saw a spell dangling from this elf's belt. "He better not be another dim witted sorcerer" she thought to herself.

Icis who always was in search of good strong company found the biggest sword in the room.

"Hey babe, looking to take more of my money, though I don't think I'd complain."

"Nogard! Would you cool your pants, you know you could never make it with her." came the response, but from what seemed like a woman with black hair. Obviously related thought Icis.

Icis without lack of intuition "Hmm, Nogard eh. Why don't you join me in a small little adventure tommorrow. A strong man like you can never go to waste, and just to be safe invite your friend here to come along. I'm sure she can handle even you!"

Without thought of reward Nogard eagerly volunteered himself and his reluctant cousin Onyx.

Icis didn't find it awkward that the human male was related to the elf these things where common, but she wasn't sure why they stayed together. Without much though more on the subject, she ventured out into the still buzzing bar. True beauty not being hard to spot Naomi was found with more ease than pouring ale.

"So, two fighters and a spellcaster, that should take care of any wolves or bandits on the way don't ya think?" Naomi consulted Icis, while brushing off a drunken dwarf that fell and broke a few more glasses from the table that was just cleaned after the first time the dolt fell.

Icis said charmingly but matter o' factly "A sledge would do the same, I'm just a wee bit worried what we might find at the end of this map. And don't you worry 'bout the sledge, I know someone who owes me a big favor."

With a hearty giggle the two went their separate ways to make a bit more "easy money" using their assets god gave them. Unaware of what the trip may bring them to.


	2. Road to Fear

_Road to Fear?_

"Kerpal no owe none nomores after Kerpal drive?" asked the sledge owner hopefully.

"That and your wife won't have to know anything." Icis flung into the drivers knarly beard.

All was ready, Naomi took the liberty of packing all the things necessary gear for the two. Icis had hand picked a dagger just big enough to be a sword, sharp but rusty, it would definably get the job done. Naomi had her half spear sharpened by the "client" she met the night before. Both ladies had been outfitted with snug but thickly warm white bear skin parkas and slacks. Nogard walked out of the fletchers shop with more magnifigance than the previous night, being that he wasn't drunk. He had grey wolf furs padded enough to block any common blade where to envy him. Black greasy hair was parted in the middle but jutted out to the sides like the soaring wings of an owl, making Nogard stand out from the rest on the street besides his obnoxiously large sword. Behind Nogard, Onyx, though not much different from the night before, had acquired the best bow in the town. "They had to have been very intimidating to buy off the fletchers most prized creation" thought Naomi.

_Thwack! Crunch!_

"What the hell did I do! Hey stop rubbing my head into the snow!"

Icis had to be yanked off the spellcaster.

"Sorry but LOOK you hair is.. its.... wait... is it real?"

Icis was quite bewildered. His hair had a color that had no name. It could only be described as fireish or firey, like there were flames coming out of his head, but not. In his eyes... no it couldn't be, where they also...

"ICIS! This is Spark, the fine gentleman I told you about. Careful tackling him again he is a wizard!" exclaimed Naomi trying to distinguish him as a friend and not a burning ember.

Though Spark was too shy to really talk anymore, the group took very little time to warm up to him. Or was it the slight warmth that seemed to emanate from him? In no time they where underway. The first few days went off without incident. The food was well enough, the summer hare where easy to track with a fresh layer of snow down, and the pinefruits where just turning ripe. All was good until....

"Stop!!" Icis screamed into the drivers ears. "The map doesn't say a thing about tree spirits! And dead ones on top of that!"

Everyone now saw what she meant. Trees in this part of the equatorial region had mostly evergreen trees, these trees seem to never have had needles or the rigidity of them. They where definatly dead. No trace of debris from the branches where on the ground, though they "trees" had been so close little light got threw at all.

A quick breeze blew right threw them as the stood at the intersection. The moans and shrieks of dryads and nyads completely convinced them to abandon their mission. Had it not, the diver was convinced enough for them all. He furiously cracked his whip across the backs of his wooly horses, who also spooked, didn't need much encouragement to run down the other trail. The smell of fear had wafted through the air, there is nothing better to stir the attention of a pack of dire wolves.

Onyx stands up, notches an arrow and _thud._ _Owooowowow!! _All turned back to see what happens. The fading image of a bleeding wolf could have been seen had it not been for the ravaging pack in pursuit of the sledge. Nogard, with the obvious instincts of a fighter quickly followed his cousins example. The performers where not left to watch the display either, these hungry wolves caught up with the sledge with easy and had to be disposed of if they still planed on doing some adventure in the future. Spark, though not as strong or as quick as his counterparts would simply not be seen as a coward. He rifled through his pouches, and took out two vials.

"Bye the flame, I 'ope I can git it right this time."

Spark, despite the jarring of the sledge and commotion at his mind, poured only four drops of one vial into the other. Without a second thought threw it out the back of his transport.

_Booooooshhhhhhhhhshshshhshshh_

It had worked perfectly. The vial exploded and spread mysterious blue flames out in a burst catching most wolves still following aflame. Spark grinned at the sounds of the dying yelps. The few wolves that persisted in following where easily dispatched by Onyx.

"What the frale! How did you do that!" Nogard said with wide eyes, "Make me one."

"What do ya take me foa, a dumb sorcera. I'ven't perfected it yet" was Spark's practiced response.

"Well as so as you do, give't up will ya" Icis replied, siding with Nogard.

"I'll see what I can whip up foa yas"

As the commotion passed so did the sunlight. Night was upon them and it was time to take shifts. Icis and Naomi, who usually when to be late, took the first shift. Nogard and Onyx after that. Though Kerpal the driver was supposed to be on watch, Spark was left alone, though he liked it better that way.

The fire he kept was in a steady roar. Not how he felt it inside, warm, blazing, like there was another consciousness inside of him. "Is that a...."

_Crack!_

A dark figure appeared right out of the flames, and with a double-tailed whip, just snapped the tips of Sparks eyes. The tendrils had some mystical orbs now. "Was that from me? What. Nnn..." He couldn't even finish his thought. The figure pulled him into the fire which now rose to a magnificent height.

Sir, why don't it bur.."

_Crack!_

The orbs now became implanted into his chest as the figure had dissappeared. It It seemed as though his heart was splitting. He fell to down to the now silver flames. His heart was spliting. He He couldn't watch anymore, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, all he had now was his sense of feeling. All he could hear was the crackle of flames. All he could smell was his burning cloths. But he could feel the whole thing. The flames coming out of his skin. Concentrating on his splitting chest. Could he understand what was happening. Was his chest really splitting apart? "Oh the pain!" His body was being lifted, not by a person, or a spell, but somehow lifted like by an angel. Last thing he felt before he passed out, a sudden blasting directly between his heart and the ball of fire that developed on his chest.

**WolfBreed: I hope its not the thumb I lost, anyhoo, finally updated. I can never be as good or as quick as you but I still enjoy how this came out so far. Much much more ahead.**


	3. One Thing After Another

"That inconsiderate bastard!" Nogard would have screamed if it startling what scratched at the walls of the sledge outside were a good idea. What he could infer from the sounds and knowledge of the area, it was a silverback bluebear.

"Had Spark the "not so brave as Sir Galahad" did his job and alerted them of the bear this whole thing could be over." Nogard claimed, "What AM I saying it's over NOW!"

Nogard exploded out of his confinement. Those doors will have to be fixed later. Onyx not to be outdone, took her cousins initiative and clambered to the top of the sledge, where she could attack the best.

Icis and Naomi looked at each other stunned. This was the first time they had been left by anybody, still coherent, without acknowledgement. Though they were not about to be left out of the fun.

Nogard had charged a good 15 feet strait out before realizing he should turn and attack there. The bear turned to face him; it was direly skinny and enraged bye sores on its red clumpy back. Putting this concern out of his mind for a new one, his life, Nogard made his way at it swinging.

Onyx not even completely up was notching her arrow, taking aim when she got to a kneel, and hitting the meager creature with easy before she stood.

Icis ran recklessly into the bear, the tip of her blade was the group's first "hello".

Naomi never really having had to fight before flaunted her spear around as you would a sword, and with grace as though it were a sword-nosed buzzard.

Naturally, being stabbed in the side enraged the beast, it stood clumsily on its hind and swung ferociously at Icis, whom ducked the first paw only to be surprised by the next that caught her shoulder and flung her against the sledge, making one door fall aside.

Nogard, though had many mind lapses at times, never missed an opportunity in battle. A swing upwards at the menace's neck came close enough to sway the fur but not good enough for Nogard, who, swung down as best he could, landing a blow of the shoulder of the bear, crippling its paw. Nogard's first swing turned the head of silverback in his direction, which had made Onyx's first arrow miss it and luckily Nogard, though not by much. "Damn him" she thought while a new flight began, this time hitting the beaten back. It drew more attention than she had expected for hitting the thickest part of the skin and fur. Catching on, sort-of, Naomi ran to the bluebear and attacked like she had a hammer, missing compactly and losing her spear found itself under the bear. Icis in too much shock to get up grabbed the only thing she could think of easily; a delicate bottle of perfume, and hopped Nogard could finish the thing off.

The bear lumbered toward Nogard, who not used to parrying charging bears could only put his sword across himself, only to have the bear take hold of his arm securely in the molars. Having gotten its prey the bear flopped its head around with the hulk of Nogard attached.

With her grace as an Elvin archer, Onyx landed two more arrows next to her previous in the scar tissue. The bear reacted with a downward thrust of Nogard. Nogard did the only thing he could do, punched it in the face, and the bear let him go. Naomi ran to catch up, grabbing her spear as she went, and trusted it without thinking, into the rear of the beast.

Now bears don't usually get things trusted up their behinds, this bear no exception, did what came natural and sat in the snow to numb the pain. When the spear was logged into the bear, it couldn't be seen. The increased pain made the bear roll onto its back and thrash toward the direction of insertion without any clue what was there.

As a terrified Naomi scrambled back as the bear came toward her Nogard ran up beside the bear and cracked its skull open, releasing the bear from the pain of its life.

_Rooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrr_

"Wait I just killed the... oh no not again"

Icis seeing the new threat before Nogard could turn, threw her perfume with great strength and horrendous pain. The potency that was just shattered up the nose of the bear had stopped it in its tracks. Onyx took the opportunity to lay siege to the new silverback.

_Shhh Shhh SHhh poooooshhhggga_

Naomi later described that this was the sound of a leaping ball of fire, that came out of nowhere slam its flaming mass at the bear, ignighting the perfume and setting most of the creature ablaze. Had everybody not been in awe, the fire-haired elf that ran strait at the bear and grabbed its flaming head making it moan on last time before its charred heap could fall.

Both the bear and the elf collapsed.


	4. Falling For You

Naomi grabbed the naked elf and brought him into the sledge. He was much too powerful to lose now. His eyes were rolled into the back of his head, and he seemed to lose his warmth that he radiated before. Luckily he was still very pink all over, no frostbite yet.

As Icis bandaged and soothed Nogard, Onyx saw something come out from under the sledge. It was the driver. Onyx jumped down and grabbed Kerpal the driver by his throat.

"Well your highness care to explain why you didn't explain to the rest of us about the absence of Spark and the deadly bears!"

Kerpal only answered with whimpering.

"Go fix the door, then get back to your seat and wait for us to tell you what to do, got it genius!"

Kerpal nodded with a teary face.

Onyx moved off to check the campfire set up the night before for clues as to why they where left to potentially die. Kerpal had the door up rather quickly, so Nogard went to head inside.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhh, what is that." Icis screamed.

The fire set atop the bear started to move, as if it where alive, and hopped its way over to the sledge. Nogard started to walk away rather quickly. The living flame followed gleefully. Nogard started to run, all the while watching this fire ball follow him like a dog.

_Wooosh... Crack!_

Nogard found some ice and impressioned an outstanding replica of the side of his face upon it.

Onyx finding no clues as to what happened at the fire last night, except for five foot diameter around it was charred upon the snow, decided to help the dumb brute with the ball of the living flame.

"What can I do? He won't wake up." Naomi cried to Icis.

"Kerpal, where is the nearest village?" Icis commanded.

"Kerpal take to place in one night if go now."

"All Aboard!" Icis bellowed.

"What about the the ... fire... thing?" Nogard pondered over to Icis.

"How should I know hammer head, just let him follow behind" Onyx suggested.

"Fine lets just go though."

On the way to the next town, the group talked as they tried to nurse Spark back to health. Nogard protested that he was much smarter than he looked. After much debate on the topic it was decided that he can be smart but don't go gallivanting around with silly notions like that cluttering his head, cause it gets stuffy up there. After the much hearty laugh they had they where swept away to a plane of dreams.

When they got to the Hamlet, there was a sense of dire fear and distrust. The gaggle and Nogard took their elven meat-bag to an apothecary. As soon as they got there Spark gained consciousness and protested much that he was fine and did not need help.

"I was just playin wit a spell I was doin, and it sorta backfired. I guess that's where Krackle came from."

"Krackle!" Everybody confused.

"Yea the fire thing, its an Elemental I think they call it. Where is it by the way it feels weird without it around me." Spark answered, cleaning up his accent, it was time for him to become a serious wizard now that he had a powerful and rare familiar. Yea right!

"Spark your eyes! The.. they... I remember they where like torches, but now its all.... normal." Icis wondered aloud.

"Um..."

"Are you sure nothing else happened when you 'got' your fire elementality pet thing" Naomi inquired.

"Hey, I need a drink where's the bar 'round here?" Spark asked covering something up.

"I agree its been a long trip" Nogard said with a groan.

Outside they secured their driver and left the elemental through much conflict with the Kerpal, and all went to the bar. All the lowliest scum resided here, though it was the only bar around for at least two days walk. The group though tolerant would not take any crap from criminal scum. They had a good time for a while got many people drunk, and Naomi was given a bit of money. Icis not to be out done, went for the richest looking guy.

"What do you want hunny, I've not time for you." said the man in a soft deadly voice.

"What I want I get, and I want you quite, and ill make sure I get it." was the secretive, forceful threat. He reinforced his demand with a magnificent jeweled dagger. "Now go away before your next Pretty."

The man stormed upstairs, taking the charge Icis did not notice.

When the charge gave a pleading look before taken upstairs, that's when it was decided. Something is going down and it has to be stopped!

****

**WolfBreed thanks for being such a fan, i write for you!**


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